The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-01-15
Rare and UntrIed Crops.

With the present low price of all the
standing farm crops, says The
Chicago Times, many farmers are
considering the propriety of engaging
in the cultivation of those that are not
generally raised in the vicinity where
they live and at present are in some
what active demand. Farmers and
breeders should exhibit the same en-
terprse that manufacturers and mer-
chants do IN studying the market and
ascertainng what it requires They
must employ good judgment, however,
or they will produce moro of certain
things than can be disposed of ut pr ces
that will cover the cost of raising. The
price of the minor and uncommon
crops lluctuaie much more than does
that of the standard crops. As this is
the case thousands engage in their cul.
tivation when prices are high, and
abandon them rs soon rs prices de-
cline BY pursuing this course they
make the market much more than 1t
would naturally do. Those who have
the capital and persistence to continue
TO raise the minor crops through long
term of years generally do well, as the
losses during period of low prices are
made up ut the times when prices are
high or above the cost of production.
There is always quite large do
nestle and foreign demand for hops,
but the price of them has varied more
during the past thirty years than OF
ANYTHING raised on the farms. During
the latter years of the civil war many
hop-raiscr received a dollar for the pro-
duet of each hill. Several times since
that period prime hops have scarcely
brought enough to pay the cost of pick
ing, curing, and baling. One year
ton of good timothy was worth MS
much rs ton of hops in n part Of the
country where both crops are extensive
" raised. The yield of hops is very
uncertain on account of the attacks OF
insects and unfavorabe conditions OF
the weather When hops fail in one
portion of the country and succeed in
another, prices are likely to be high.
and many persons in the favored dis.
r.ct commence their cultivation. and
the chances are that the maket is over
stocked in n few years. The hop-liclds
are plowed up, the setting out of new
ones is neglected and prices are again
high. A number of farmers i'm this
country have become rich by raising
hops, but a much larger number have
been ruined by going into the business
in an injudcious manner A far
amount of success has attended those
who made hops a leading crop for
series of years.
No person should engage in the cul-
ture Of hops on an extensive scale who
does not expect 10 continue in il during
many wears, be the prices high or low.
Il requires large amount OF knowledge
to succeed in hop-raising. and much OF
this knowledge must be acquired by ex-
perience. Considerable capital is re-
oured for preparing many acres for the
crop, buying the vines, culiivat ng
them, purchasing and setting the poles,
and erecting a drying house. III the
business is abandoned on the first de-
cline in prices the time and money ex-
pended in getting start will be thrown
away. No one should attempt to en-
gage in hop raising who does not live
where the climate and soil are favorable
TO the crop. where poles can be OBJ
tanned at low rates. and where p ckers
can be hired during the season Of har-
vesting. Local advantages have much
10 do in insuring success. IL is likely
that new hop-growing regions will be
discovered and utilized. as they have
recently been on the Pacific coast. but
the crop is not adapted TO very large
portion of the country, as are the small
grains. A combination Of several IA
Sorable circumstances Is necessary for
insuring even moderate success in rais-
BroOm-corn is attended BY fewei